Mediacom Low-Income Internet: Low-cost, high-speed internet from another great Connect2Compete partner

If one child in your home qualifies for the National School Lunch Program, you can qualify for affordable broadband service.

If you earn under $30,000 per year and lack access to the internet at home, you’re not alone. Only 45% of low-income families are in the same boat. And that’s a real American tragedy. It means adults in those homes can neither find and apply for jobs nor contact medical professionals. And it means their children run a real risk of falling behind in school.

Mediacom, the nation’s tenth largest cable television company, has come to the rescue by participating in the Connect2Compete program. Connect2Compete is a coalition of private companies and not-for-profit organizations working hard to eliminate the Digital Divide that separates needy Americans from wealthy Americans.

If any child in your household is eligible for the National School Lunch Program and if you live in areas serviced by Mediacom (parts of 23 states including Alabama, Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, Wisconsin), you may be able to sign up for high-speed broadband internet service in your home for just $9.95 per month.

The program is very similar to the well-known Internet Essentials, the low-income, high-speed internet program offered by cable TV behemoth Comcast.

Please keep in mind that cable television systems are often provided by completely different companies in adjacent cities and even in different parts of the same city. In fact, you may have a different cable company than your neighbors right across the street. So it’s up to you to figure out who your cable television provider is and if they offer the inexpensive Connect2Compete program.

If you’re live in an area served by Mediacom, congratulations! You may be able eligible for its low-income internet program. (See below for a “complete” list of areas covered by Mediacom.)

Are you eligible for $9.95 per month high-speed internet?

Mediacom is one of the many cable television companies that participate in a program called Connect2Compete, a non-profit dedicated to bridging the Digital Divide between America’s rich and poor. This comes as outstanding news to tens of thousands of financially-struggling families who live in the Mediacom coverage area.

You are eligible if you can say yes to the following questions:

• Do you live in an area in which Mediacom offers internet service?
• Does at least one child living in your household qualify for free or reduced-price school lunches through the National School Lunch Program?
• Have you been without Mediacom internet service for at least three months?
• If you’re a former Mediacom customer, have you paid all their bills?
• If you’re a former Mediacom customer, have you unreturned all the company’s equipment?

If you’re a current Mediacom cable television customer, but haven’t been a Mediacom internet customer for at least 90 days, you’re eligible.

Mediacom Low-Income Internet customers may take advantage of this great offer for the bargain price of just $9.95 per month for up to two years. The only catch? At least one child in the household must remain eligible for free or reduced-price lunches.

Once enrolled, Connect2Compete participants will be able to continue receiving internet service for $9.95 a month plus tax for two years as long as at least one child in their household continues to receive free or reduced-price lunch program. But that doesn’t mean you get booted off the program after 24 months. To continue on the program, you merely have to re-qualify under the very same guidelines.

Computers for as little as $142 and lots of other extras, too

Mediacom’s Low-Cost Internet program gives you download speeds of up to 1.5 Mbps. And while that may not be fast enough to download lots of videos, it’s certainly is fast enough to help parents find jobs online and to help kids do their homework online.

We’ve heard lots of potential customers say, “But what good is internet access if we can’t afford a computer?” No problem. Connect2Compete and Mediacom have a solution. Qualifying families will also be able to purchase a computer laptop computers as low as $162 and tablets as low as $142. They come loaded with Microsoft Office, which should give you the ability to do everything you need to do with a home computer. You also get free, fast shipping. And finally, each computer comes with a 90-day warranty.

Potential customers also say, “I don’t know how to use a computer and this internet is a mystery to me.” Again, no problem. Because Connect2Compete and the Mediacom Low-Cost Internet program comes with free basic computer and basic internet training. These free courses can will turn you into an internet wiz before you know it.

One warning: You’ll get dinged for using extra gigs

Mediacom spells out pretty clearly that your internet usage is regulated and that you’ll pay extra if you exceed the permissible levels. That being said, the company offers 150 Gigabytes per month per account and that should be plenty unless you’re downloading full length feature films every night. Here’s how Mediacom spells out the specifics on its website:

“Includes Mediacom Connect2Compete residential service plan that provides a usage allowance of up to 150 Gigabytes per monthly billing cycle. Greater usage will result in additional charges of $10, excluding taxes and fees, for every increment of up to 50 additional Gigabytes used. For example, if usage exceeds the allowance by 51 Gigabytes, an additional charge of $20 will result. Usage cannot exceed that of a typical residential customer and must conform to the requirements of the Mediacom Online ® Internet Access Service Customer and User Agreement and Mediacom’s Acceptable Use Policy. Usage allowances and Internet speeds are subject to change by Mediacom at any time. Refer to the Additional Terms and Conditions-Monthly Usage Allowance at www.mediacomcable.com for complete details of the usage allowance.”

How to Enroll

Most partners of the Connect2Compete program, require you to go to the EveryoneOn.org site to apply. But with Mediacom, you can go directly to their site:

Website: mediacomc2c.com (click on “Apply Today!” to find an application)
Phone: 855-904-2225

If you want to apply at EveryoneOn.org, here’s their contact information:

Website: EveryoneOn.org
Phone: 800-446-2031.

Mediacom profile:

Mediacom is a cable television and communications company that serves primarily smaller markets in the midwest and southern United States. It’s Iowa’s largest cable company and Illinois’ second largest.

Mediacom, the nation’s tenth largest cable television company with 1,000,000 customers, offers cable television and high-speed internet in 23 states: Alabama, Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, Wisconsin

Cities in which Mediacom offers Low-Income Internet

Let’s give credit where credit is due: We complied this list using information from BroadbandNow.com, a great website that does a tremendous job covering the high speed internet industry.

Please keep in mind that cable companies constantly buy, sell and exchange municipal franchises, so what’s accurate today may not be accurate tomorrow. Whether your city is or isn’t listed as a Mediacom market, we recommend double checking just to assure that the information is correct.

ALABAMA: Andalusia, Athens, Atmore, Bay Minette, Birmingham, Brewton, Daphne, Eight Mile, Elkmont, Fairhope, Foley, Grand Bay, Gulf Shores, Harvest, Hazel Green, Huntsville, Irvington, Jackson, Madison, Mobile, Monroeville, New Market, Odenville, Oneonta, Opelika, Owens Cross Roads, Robertsdale, Saraland, Semmes, Spanish Fort, Springville, Theodore, Toney, Trussville, Wetumpka, Wilmer

ARIZONA: Apache Junction, Florence, Gilbert, Gold Canyon, Mesa, Nogales, Phoenix, Queen Creek, Rio Rico, San Tan Valley, Scottsdale

CALIFORNIA: Arvin, Bakersfield, Clearlake, Escondido, Fallbrook, Kelseyville, Lake Elsinore, Lakeport, Menifee, Perris, Ridgecrest, Sun City, Valley Center, Wildomar

DELAWARE: Georgetown, Laurel, Lewes, Millsboro, Milton, Rehoboth Beach, Seaford

FLORIDA: Bonifay, Cantonment, Chipley, Crestview, Defuniak Springs, Gulf Breeze, Havana, Mary Esther, Milton, Navarre, Niceville, Panama City, Panama City Beach, Quincy, Santa Rosa Beach, Tallahassee, Wewahitchka

GEORGIA: Adel, Albany, Alma, Americus, Bainbridge, Baxley, Blakely, Buford, Cairo, Camilla, Cochran, Columbus, Cordele, Decatur, Douglas, Douglasville, Duluth, Eastman, Fitzgerald, Flowery Branch, Fort Benning, Hahira, Hampton, Hazlehurst, Lake Park, Leesburg, Marietta, Mcdonough, Milledgeville, Moultrie, Nashville, Pelham, Perry, Quitman, Stockbridge, Sylvester, Thomasville, Tifton, Valdosta, Winston

IOWA: Altoona, Ames, Anamosa, Ankeny, Bettendorf, Boone, Burlington, Carroll, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Charles City, Clear Lake, Clinton, Clive, Coralville, Council Bluffs, Creston, Davenport, Decorah, Denison, Des Moines, Dubuque, Eldridge, Fairfield, Fort Dodge, Fort Madison, Glenwood, Grimes, Grinnell, Independence, Indianola, Iowa City, Johnston, Keokuk, Knoxville, Maquoketa, Marion, Marshalltown, Mason City, Mount Pleasant, Muscatine, Newton, North Liberty, Norwalk, Oskaloosa, Ottumwa, Pella, Perry, Pleasant Hill, Spencer, Storm Lake, Urbandale, Washington, Waterloo, Waukee, Waverly, Webster City, West Des Moines

ILLINOIS: Antioch, Aurora, Batavia, Belleville, Belvidere, Benton, Bloomington, Bourbonnais, Canton, Carbondale, Carpentersville, Carterville, Champaign, Charleston, Chillicothe, Clinton, Coal City, Decatur, Dekalb, Du Quoin, Dundee, Dunlap, East Moline, East Peoria, Effingham, Elburn, Elgin, Fox Lake, Freeport, Galesburg, Geneseo, Geneva, Hampshire, Harrisburg, Harvard, Herrin, Huntley, Jacksonville, Kankakee, Kewanee, La Salle, Lincoln, Litchfield, Loves Park, Machesney Park, Macomb, Mahomet, Manteno, Marengo, Marion, Mascoutah, Mattoon, Mchenry, Mendota, Metamora, Milan, Moline, Monmouth, Montgomery, Morton, Murphysboro, Normal, North Aurora, Ottawa, Paris, Pekin, Peoria, Peru, Plano, Pontiac, Poplar Grove, Princeton, Rantoul, Robinson, Rochelle, Rock Island, Rockford, Rockton, Roscoe, Saint Charles, Sandwich, South Beloit, Spring Grove, Springfield, Streator, Sugar Grove, Sycamore, Taylorville, Urbana, Vandalia, Washington, Waterloo, West Frankfort, Wilmington, Wonder Lake, Woodstock, Yorkville

INDIANA: Angola, Auburn, Bluffton, Bremen, Cedar Lake, Chesterton, Columbia City, Crown Point, Danville, Decatur, Demotte, Elkhart, Fort Wayne, Goshen, Hartford City, Hebron, Huntington, Indianapolis, Kendallville, Knox, Kokomo, La Porte, Lagrange, Ligonier, Lowell, Marion, Michigan City, Middlebury, Mishawaka, Monticello, Muncie, Nappanee, New Castle, New Haven, North Manchester, Plymouth, Portage, Portland, Rensselaer, Richmond, Rochester, Scottsburg, South Bend, Syracuse, Tell City, Valparaiso, Wabash, Warsaw, Westville

KANSAS: Emporia, Gardner, Lawrence, Ottawa, Paola, Pittsburg, Spring Hill, Albany, Benton, Bowling Green, Cadiz, Columbia, Elizabethtown, Fort Thomas, Glasgow, Greenville, Hodgenville, Hopkinsville, Leitchfield, Liberty, Louisville, Mayfield, Monticello, Murray, Princeton

MARYLAND: Berlin, Ocean City, Salisbury

MINNESOTA: Alexandria, Austin, Belle Plaine, Burnsville, Chanhassen, Chaska, Cloquet, Delano, Duluth, Eden Prairie, Excelsior, Grand Rapids, Hibbing, Hopkins, Hutchinson, Jordan, Lakeville, Litchfield, Mankato, Minneapolis, Minnetonka, Mound, New Prague, New Ulm, Northfield, Osseo, Owatonna, Prior Lake, Red Wing, Rochester, Rogers, Saint Peter, Savage, Shakopee, Virginia, Waconia, Waseca, Wayzata, Willmar, Winona, Worthington

MISSOURI: Aurora, Ava, Branson, Cameron, Carl Junction, Carthage, Columbia, Excelsior Springs, Fulton, Harrisonville, Hollister, Holts Summit, Jefferson City, Joplin, Kearney, Marshfield, Monett, Mountain Grove, Neosho, Nixa, Ozark, Republic, Richmond, Rogersville, Springfield, Webb City, Willard

MISSISSIPPI: Bay Saint Louis, Carriere, Gulfport, Hattiesburg, Long Beach, Lucedale, Lumberton, Moss Point, Pass Christian, Perkinston, Picayune, Poplarville, Purvis, Saucier, Wiggin

NORTH CAROLINA: Ahoskie, Arden, Asheville, Black Mountain, Brevard, Cullowhee, Edenton, Elizabeth City, Fairview, Fletcher, Franklin, Greenville, Hendersonville, Hertford, Marion, Morganton, Moyock, Newland, Spruce Pine, Sylva, Washington, Waynesville, Williamston, Windsor

SOUTH DAKOTA: Brookings

TENNESSEE: Fayetteville, Pulaski, Shelbyville, Tullahoma

VIRGINIA: Annandale, Chesapeake, Fairfax

WISCONSIN: Berlin, Black River Falls, Burlington, De Forest, Delavan, East Troy, Eau Claire, Elkhorn, Fond Du Lac, Germantown, Jackson, Janesville, La Crosse, Lake Geneva, Monroe, Mount Horeb, Mukwonago, Neenah, New London, Onalaska, Oshkosh, Platteville, Richland Center, Sparta, Tomah, Waukesha, Waupaca, Wisconsin Dells

Recent Articles on Mediacom